EMG Results: Unusual Sensation

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nibdenice

Well-known member
Hi all,

I had a long-awaited EMG done last week. Haven't talked to the doc about it yet [I have to make an appt. to see him to talk about it] but the doc that did it said that everything looked normal, except when we got to the end and he put this needle into my left thigh muscle. The muscle was going crazy -- not twitching, but it felt like an electric current was going through. The other muscles did not react this way. However, my left leg often acts up on me with that feeling, or with buzzing -- like an electric current is going through. The doc kept the needle in my leg a long time, looking at the screen -- something was definitely going on -- I could feel it and hear it from the machine and the electro waves were flying on the screen.

So then he said he wanted to go talk to my doc and that he would probably want to proceed further with more testing, and I'm sitting there thinking ... "oh great -- my worst fears realized," but then he came back in a few minutes later and calmly said that my doctor was satisfied with the test and that I should call him to set up an appt. to see him to discuss -- however, there was absolutely no sense of urgency at all in his tone. I'll see the doc next week to discuss.

Anyway, I was very afraid of the EMG -- felt like I might be going to some kind of torture chamber, but it wasn't really that bad. I do have neuro issues going on -- twitches, buzzing, electric current-type stuff, but I know that I have no weakness, and that's what they're worried about.

Whatever I have ... I hope it either stays this way or just eventually goes away.

Thanks for the support here.
 
Was that your first EMG? Oh God now you have me freaked out totally because I'm going to ask for one and I have buzzing all the time. I will die right there of cardiac arrest if they say that to me. Maybe I won't have one now.

sigh...........

Karen
 
Don't get worried! If you twitch it will show up on the emg (it did on mine) but that does not point towards als. Really it doesn't. Als has a specific look on the emg and it would also show up on more than one leg. Get the emg!!!
 
Katie,

Everyone here tends to forget that EMG's are used to test for all sorts of things -- not just ALS.

I have buzzing in my left leg all the time. I have sciatic nerve damage in that leg as well.

Perhaps they are looking at other causes.

Peg
 
Hi Peg,

Well I know for a fact that I have a bulging L5/S1 disc and that it has affected my left leg. So that could account for that buzzing. I will say that the doc who did my test did, at the end, seem in no way concerned. So I wasn't. It's just that I was unnerved [no pun intended] when he left the room to see if my doctor wanted to do more testing. That's what got me scared, but it was only for a moment.
 
Karen,

Get the EMG. It was really no big deal; a lot easier than I thought. Not that I'd want to do it every day, but it was really okay.

I did have a quasi-one done about 18 months ago, but the doctor at the time just kind of flubbed here & there. He knew I was nervous and just kind of did a very low-key version. This one was different -- with an "EMG expert", so I knew I was in for the full thing.

I'm glad I did it. And not worried about the results. Is something going on with my left leg -- yes it is, but it may likely be related to my back issue. Something definitely showed up there but my doctor was not worried enough to order further testing on it.

Good luck!
 
Yep--EMGs are not that bad. Karen please get one! From what I know, EMGs can diagnose things like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome--so any type of minor abnormality can show up. The point being--the EMG can still rule out the really bad stuff without a doubt.

Katie, you are probably right about the bulging disc issue affecting your leg--makes sense. No worries.....Seriously....if there was something to worry about your neuro would have whisked you off to a major neurology center ASAP for further evaluation. Keep us posted on your good results!!

-Amy
 
Well I know for a fact that I have a bulging L5/S1 disc and that it has affected my left leg. So that could account for that buzzing.

Katie,

I had back surgery on L4/L5 years ago. The first doctor told me that the disc space was starting to narrow. He felt this was causing the twitching. But that was before it spread to other parts of my body. I still twitch 90% of the time in the left leg. Do you only twitch in your leg or just buzz in that leg. My buzzing is only in that leg and I have had that on and off for years.

The neuro said something about S1 causing symptoms int he calves and feet.

peg
 
Peg,

I have twitching all over, but mostly in my left leg -- and buzzing only in the left leg -- and until a few months ago, I had weakness on & off in that leg as well.

It's hard to figure all this stuff out -- where it's coming from and why. Just don't want it to get any worse.

Kate
 

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